Ganora Guest Farm, Camping and Excursions

The location, the cottage and the food

We really enjoyed our stay at Ganora Guest Farm. It’s a lovely working farm just outside Nieu-Bethesda and was a great opportunity for us to experience a bit of real Karoo farm life. The farm is peaceful and beautifully situated, and the night sky and stars were quite something. Hester was a wonderful host and, together with her staff, made us feel very welcome and looked after us really well. We had a great dinner on the farm and a very good breakfast the next morning. For a family coming from the city, it was just a really nice and different experience. We had great food, met friendly people, and experienced beautiful surroundings and the peace and quiet of the Karoo. We would definitely stay there again.

There really wasn’t anything we didn’t like. Everything was pretty much as we would have expected from a stay on a working Karoo farm, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The braai area was great and the nature.

Great concept! But very dirty, the kitchen cupboards /the bedroom - the utensils, the plates. The bed very uncomfortable, lights wasn’t switched on upon arrival late at night, bed lamps wasn’t even working. Again great concept but small details need to be payed attention to.

What a wonderful and peaceful stay! This beautiful sheep farm is the perfect place to relax and unwind. The hosts were incredibly warm, friendly, and welcoming, always happy to answer any questions and share helpful information about the farm and surrounding area. The rooms were lovely, with comfortable, warm beds and spotless, fresh bedding that made us feel right at home. The delicious home-cooked food and genuine hospitality made our stay even more special. We especially enjoyed the clearly marked hiking trails, which led us to fascinating Bushman rock art and provided interesting historical information along the way. The scenery was breathtaking, and the peaceful atmosphere made it an unforgettable experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would highly recommend this farm to anyone looking for a relaxing getaway, warm hospitality, and a chance to experience the beauty and history of the area.

No complaints.

Zeer vriendelijk gastvrouw waar je je meteen op je gemak voelt. Leuk om met andere gasten gezamenlijk te dineren en verhalen uit te wisselen. In de buurt rotsschilderingen om met gids te bekijken.

Wij waren hier slechts 1 nacht op doorreis. Ik denk dat deze plek meer geschikt is voor minimaal 2 nachten om te onthaasten, mooie wandelingen te maken etc. Al met al een fijn verblijf gehad

Country side get away with lots to offer

Mobile phone reception limited

Peaceful area surrounded by beautiful mountains. Nice areas for walking. The staff were extremely friendly, food was great. Awesome place to stay. Will definitely go back again.

Nothing

The balance of farm and luxury stay.

The walks and excursions available and that there was so much to do

Nothing

The peacefulness & unique scenery of this Karoo farm were outstanding. There are a variety of hikes of different distances, interesting guided tours ( medicinal plants, rock art) and an amazing fossil museum plus informative talk. The breakfasts & dinners were exceptional!

Nothing displeased us.

Very helpful staff and owners and BEST breakfast. Location amazing though no view from my unit. Real Karoo experience, and so much to see and do, fossil trail, hikes, Nieu Bethesda nearby

I like a view from my stoep but even the view of the farm yard was nice

We really enjoyed the farm feeling.

Nothing

The Isolation and dead silence at night

Nothing Accommodation needs a fridge

Wonderful farm stay. Beautiful environment and lovely rooms and meal.

Wonderful Hosts, and any additional request was no trouble at all. Great farm cuisine and the staff were incredibly friendly and well mannered. Thoroughly enjoyed the Bushman painting excursion with Henry. We highly recommend visiting Ganora Guest Farm, either as a stop over or a longer stay.

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Ganora. The accommodation is beautiful — thoughtfully designed, comfortable, and perfectly suited to the peaceful Karoo setting. The hosts were welcoming, friendly, and genuinely made us feel at home. One of the highlights was exploring the stunning walks on the property — wide open spaces, breathtaking views, and complete tranquility. Ganora offers the perfect balance of comfort, nature, and authentic Karoo charm. An all-round fantastic experience, and we’d happily return.

Stunning location, perfect temperature pool!

The rooms were very bice and clean

Fossils tour amazing. Location beautiful Hospitable hosts

The location and farm , outside Nieu Bethesda was beautiful and peaceful

The room we were given was very basic ,it had no outlook nor any personal touch , not even a bottle of water was provided, no charging plugs next to the bed, hairdryer was a mini mini travel size with a round 2 pin plug , no adapter for this in the room though , hairdryer worked for 2 mins and packed up ,reception was unmanned at this point , shower had a bizarre and totally unhygienic arrangement of pebbles and rocks on its floor. Breakfast was basic , supermarket sliced bread and box juices - not sure why on a farm?. Rate at R1700per might was 3x was it should have been for what was provided in my view.

The peaceful & beautiful Karoo environment.Waking up to clean Karoo air filled with the light bleating of lambs nearby. The pool area was comfortable with some nice pool lounges.

Having to leave a beautiful & very comfortable guest farm.

A hidden gem in the Karoo! We stayed in the cottage at Ganora and absolutely loved it. It sleeps six comfortably and is perfect for a family getaway or a weekend with friends. The cottage has a cozy fireplace for chilly nights, a well-equipped braai area, and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The breakfast was another highlight—plentiful, delicious, and with plenty of options for everyone. Peaceful, clean, and full of charm. Highly recommended!

Not much

Gravel road to the farm. Flies, flies and more flies. No insect spray initially. After asking we did get insect spray.

Most amazing place with exceptional fossil museum on site. San rock paintings. Very friendly hosts. Lovely room and good food.

So much history in the area. Close to Nieu Bethesda. Lots to do. Very knowledgeable owner gave a fantastic tour of their fossil museum

Very friendly host. My son loves animals and he was able to join in with helping around the farm. The hikes around the farm were fun. The cottage was comfortable.

What an amazing farm. Beautiful location. Sweetest little lambs. Comfortable beds. The Cot house had everything we needed. Haven't seen stars like on the farm in many years! Will def be returning the next time we drive down to the Cape.

Staff excellent . Food delicious . Something nice and different

wifi in room was poor but fine at the main house

The hosts are exceptional in their focus on client service.

I loved the quiet, friendly setting. There are several walks accessible from the farm. The area is known for a very special geological history. The evening fossil talk provided many insights into a time period I had never heard of. The information was informative and presented in an entertaining way that kept everyone interested. The room was very clean, the linen exceptional. I particularly enjoyed the historical farmhouse (built in 1776) where meals were served. The staff was very helpful in answering questions and providing customs meals.

We were received by the owner personally who was very friendly and welcoming. We booked a single room, but Hester upgraded our booking to a self service cottage with excellent facilities. Breakfast was included in our booking and we still had the privilege of enjoying our breakfasts. Hester's husband also gave us an tour of the fossil museum, which we thoroughly enjoyed. A supper were offered at a very fair price, which we accepted and it was delivered to our cottage. Very tasty Karoo tripe and a chicken potjiekos.

Nothing. We had excellent weather and lots of opportunities for exploring the farm and surroundings. Hester also informed us regarding the happenings around Nieu-Bethesda with all the restaurants in town.

The scenery and location is perfect The bird life is incredible The patio is lovely The starts - oh the stars and the quiet and the sunrise - oh just spectacular - and the green from the rain - gorgeous gardens We felt so very safe We felt welcomed The pool is lovely and garden immaculate - gorgeous scented roses Would have loved more time for the walks and guided tour - especially for the plants - but some of us did have a walk and loved it We appreciated that we could have an early dinner and also an early breakfast - that was very kind and it was not salty which we really appreciated Dinner was pleasant - mushroom soup was really good and malva pudding so light and delicious - dinner was brought to us - that was so thoughtful A sit down breakfast in a dining room is lovely with hot plates, a tablecloth, lovely crockery The linen on the room with two beds was lovely The main bedroom is spacious A surface in the bathroom for bags is so hard to find - this was large and perfect A place to hang wet towels in the bathroom - lovely size Max and Alvin were incredible - professional, friendly, accommodating, willing - such wonderful people - what an asset and so proud of what they do and where they are - we really enjoyed our interactions So nice to have soap in the bathrooms For a working farm, this is surprisingly quiet and very peaceful

A few things could have made the stay incredible: The bedding on the bunk beds were inadequate and inferior compared to the rest provided and there were no additional blankets The mattresses in the additional room with two single beds - one is just too soft and the other so hard - they really were not comfortable One of us came home with bites - they slept on the top bunk There is a strange smell in the cottage - not sure if it is the septic tank but I was the only one who noticed The plates and mugs was not entirely clean - it was marked and needed rinsing Serving spoons would be nice in the kitchen and perhaps a few more teaspoons More milk/larger jug, more tea bags, and some rooibos tea would have been nice Would be nice if wood was packed ready for a fire and an offer made to start the fire - we appreciated that wood was provided One towel smelled really bad The shower head could be replaced and a little more pressure would be great in the shower - the shower floor needs a bit of a scrub Given the flies and mosquitos, it would be nice if the door and some windows had not been left open as some creatures stayed the night I would have preferred to have known the extent of stairs in the accommodation - to get to the main room and the second bathroom as well as the patio - but to be fair - most people would not mind The stones in the shower are not made for delicate feet - the surface is hard and a corner shower can be difficult to navigate Perhaps a suggestion but not a complaint - home made bread or scone or muffin with breakfast, perhaps some oats or porridge, home made jam - that would have been something else or maybe a loaf of homemade bread with the soup - just more farm feel perhaps in the catering

Beautiful setting and lovely accommodation.

Oasis in a dry, but beautiful environment

Friendly & helpfull owners & staff

The food was excellent, the staff were very accomodating and welcoming, and JP's tours of his fossil and antique collections are well worth the visit. JP even made a special effort to make time to show me around his collections.

Supper and breakfast were scrumptious. Lots to do. Swimming pool a welcome relief from the heat.

N/A

Great overnight stay on the long drive home. Peaceful and beautiful location

The stay was very peaceful with many trails to do some walking. The food was great and with it being fully booked most of the time, you get to interact with various people over dinner. Nieu Betesda is just around the corner so a quick drive and you can enjoy the town and its many restaurants.

The Breakfast was exceptional. The dinner was exeptional. The staff was also so friendly and always available and helpfull. It was just a lovely stay !

Very nice & comfortable with true Karoo hospitality.

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the kids enjoyed the swimming pool and the feeding of the lambs

Absolutely unique experience. The owner gave us a tour of the collection of fossils found on the farm. Beautiful setting. Incredible night skies.

Peasefull

Good enviroment.

Loved the experience of a working farm

All was good

The Steynbergs were excellent hosts: friendly, helpful and hospitable. Dinner was superb and breakfast also of good quality. Interesting lecture on fossils pre dinner. Altogether highly recommended.

The electric blanket helped a lot, but the room was very cold in the morning.

We loved our morning walks around the farm. The evening meal was delicious. Hester was so helpful giving us excellent tips on what to do and see in and around Nieu Bethesda and the farm. Everyone working at Ganora was incredibly friendly and keen to help.

What a fascinating and beautiful place. Absolutely amazing breakfast. Thank you so much Hester and JP.

Wonderful tour to bushman paintings and talk on fossils. We were very well looked after by hosts.

The friendliness of all the staff and particulary more so that of Hester and her husband who went out of their way to make our stay most interesting and enjoyable. Also enjoyed listening to Henry who showed us the bushmen rock art on the farm The lecture on the private fossil collection Hester's husband gave and his extensive knowldedge of the fossils found on the farm was excellent. We thoroughly enojyed our stay and with the bushmen rock art,, the lecture on the private fossil collection and vast collection of farm implements over many decades made it much more than just another fram stay.

Enjoyed everything.

A lovely old Karoo farm. Plenty of History and a beautiful setting. Such tranquility and the hospitality was superb. Definitely intend to return!

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Comfort of accommodation, very interesting lecture on fissil records.

There were a smell in cottage, bat flying around, and sheltered in the nock of the ceiling.

Would have liked fruit and continental for breakfast. But that’s a personal preference. Definitely not a deal breaker. The cooked breakfast was delicious.

What a beautiful property with the most amazing hosts. Thank you Hester and JP!

Nothing

Peaceful place with comfortable cottages. This is a favorite place of many happy returns.

The breakfast was perfect.The host Hester is a fantastic person,so friendly and accommodating it was really a great experience and i will recommend to any travel to stay at Ganora.

There was nothing that we did not like.

We loved everything.

The remote location means you are close to off-road/gravel scenic trials/routes/reserves. Daytrips to Nieu-Bethesda, Graaff-Reinet and surrounds. Unpolluted fresh air, surrounded by nature, starry nights and silence. Due apparently to a booking-mistake the Owner upgraded us (for free) to a better room, to ensure we don't need to move from rooms during our 4-night stay, and provision of basic items to enable us to braai and make simple meals. Remedying lack of both warm and cold water supply/pressure, the next day.

Marking and directions to trials/routes. 4x4 enthusiasts must note that the listed 35km advertised-trial is closed. Repetitive breakfasts, and that it appeared staff want you as quick as possible to commence breakfast and finish. Dinner was (when we ate there once), hostel-like, with a set menu, and in the sense that without asking, dishes were unexpectedly served, resulting in a rushed atmosphere and guests departing that night at once. Not able to shower = Insufficient warm & cold water pressure 30 Dec evening & morning off 31 Dec.

host service location and value

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The property is a little oasis in the Karoo. We got a warm welcome and the room was very pleasant.

Although we knew that there had been a lot of rain, the road to the property was almost impassable in places.

The location is really exceptional and the rooms have been done up so well. Loved the pool area, the lawns outside the central farmhouse, the feeling of peace and the comfort of the bed!

Winderfull: The farm atmosohere with all the kld implements etc. The fossils and knowledge thereof.